weight loss and periods

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ShayCarver89
ShayCarver89 Posts: 239 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone else had their weight loss severely mess with their time of the month? In the past when I lost weight it helped me become more regular and gave me much easier periods. This time my period is completely absent. I have every sign that its going to show up, and it just doesn't. When I talked to my doctor about it today he said "Well you do have PCOS.." yes but losing weight is supposed to help women with PCOS! I'm about to skip a month. I don't feel like its going to happen for me and its making me miserable. Things that it could be - pregnancy? My tubes are tied. Not eating enough? I eat almost 1500 a day so I don't think that is it. Could it just be that losing weight is negatively effecting my hormones?

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  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
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    Mine ended up being delayed by about a week when I started losing weight. I went on maintenance about a week and a half ago through yesterday for a diet break. My period showed up a week early. Being in a calorie restriction affects things like leptin so I don't see why it wouldn't affect other hormones. I am not a doctor though and my experience is merely my own experience so take that for what it's worth.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    What you describe sounds like my pre birth control PCOS periods. I had all the cramping and PMS symptoms every month, but only had 3-4 periods a year.

    Other than that, how much weight have you lost? Are you doing intense exercise or going through an unusual amount of stress?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited November 2018
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    I have PCOS too. Strangely, my period was at its most regular when I was at my heaviest weight (in the obese range.) Since moving back to a healthy weight, it's been all over the place. In the past year, my cycles have been 14, 51, 43, 61, 80, 27, and 73 days. That's pretty much how it was last year and the year before as well. I track them but it's utterly useless as there's no predicting when my period will start.

    When I first started losing weight and my period disappeared, I saw my GYN about it. He said that it was normal and I shouldn't be concerned. Since then he has said that if I ever hit a point where I went 3 months without a period we would discuss meds to start it. I've never gotten to that point yet.

    So bottom line, you might consider seeing the doctor once to settle your nerves but I wouldn't be terribly concerned.
  • Phoebe5164
    Phoebe5164 Posts: 79 Member
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    @FutureMrsCarver89 I think your hormones are messed up from your diet changes. Hormones are infuriating and stressing will only make it worse , I’d see your dr just to talk it trough , they might even suggest a low dose pill to regulate your periods .

    Hugs & Chocolate 🌸
  • ShayCarver89
    ShayCarver89 Posts: 239 Member
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    I finally got my period. Weeks late and boy she’s a doozy. My skin had cleared up, I’ve had no cramps, and i usually gain a couple pounds in water weight around the time she’s about to pop up - none of that. But oh well. I wouldn’t mind if that became a regular thing. 😂
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    FutureMrsCarver89 wrote: »
    I finally got my period. Weeks late and boy she’s a doozy. My skin had cleared up, I’ve had no cramps, and i usually gain a couple pounds in water weight around the time she’s about to pop up - none of that. But oh well. I wouldn’t mind if that became a regular thing. 😂

    Ha ha. It always happens like that--right when the peak "what's happening?!?!?" thoughts happen.
  • confidenceinrain
    confidenceinrain Posts: 104 Member
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    Once years ago I lost weight due to stress rather than choice (an ex was being intimidating and I didn't want to leave my dorm to eat) and my period completely disappeared for months. No pcos here though. Doctor at the time said it was normal, if that helps at all. This time around i am on hormonal birth control and it is as it should be, although the weight loss is slower as it is at a healthy rate.
  • Stefanny91
    Stefanny91 Posts: 223 Member
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    I heard once that losing weight confuses your body so it doesn't know how much hormone to produce. It might just need time to even up. When I've lost weight in the past I've had the opposite where I've had a constant period

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